Can-stacker.



c. T. LA BAU.

GAN STAGKER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1907.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

CLAYTON T. LA BAU, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

CAN-STACKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1908.

Application filed September 30, 1907. Serial N 0. 395,242.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON T. LA BAU, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can- Stackers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to an improved device or' a tool designed for handling cans; more particularly tin cans, as they come from the automatic machine in the factories for loading and unloading cars, trucks, etc.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple device by which a large num ber of cans may be quickly and easily handled and stacked, thus effecting a great saving in time and expense.

The invention comprises a bar or carrying member having can engaging prongs or arms extending from opposite sides thereof.

It further includes the various features of construction and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings,Figure 1 is an end view. Fig. 2 a side view. Fig. 3 is a plan view with the cans in place. Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of a modification. Figs. 6 and 7 are end views of a further modification.

Referring by reference characters to these drawings, A designates a bar of suitable length, which may be conveniently made of wood. .This bar carries a plurality of arms or rods B and B which extend from opposite sides thereof and lie in planes substantially at right angles to the length of the bar. The

arms on one side of the bar are inclined or turned to a different angle or direction from those of the other side. A convenient manner of forming the arms and securing them in place is that shown. clearly in Fig. 1. In this each pair or set of arms is formed of a single wire'or rod the straight part B being passed through a hole in the bar A and being held in place by an eye bolt 6 which engages the angularly turned portion 1). From this point the arm B curves or extends around in the shape of a hook as shown.

As the cans come from the machine they roll inan inclined chute with the opened ends all the same way At the end where they are taken out the chute is open at the top allowing a part of each can to extend above the strip of metal composing chute.

To operate the stacker it is taken in the center by the strip of Wood (handle) with the ends of the curved rongs pointing downward and held paral el with the row of cans in the chute. The straight prongs are loaded first by entering them into the open ends of the cans and lifting them out of the chute. More cans will immediately roll down and the remaining (hooked) prongs can be loaded. To keep cans from falling off the stacker is rolled over at the time of filling so as to keep all prongs inclined upward. The cans on the straight prongs are deposited first and those on the hooks are easily placed one row above another with the opened ends reversed. By rolling the tool backward and gently pressing away from the row of cans being deposited the hooks are released and the cans are pushed firmly in place by the long handle with the straight prongs. This operation may be repeated as fast and as often as the chute is filled with cans.

I/Vhere the cans to be stacked do not have to be reversed, as for instance cans with cap holes, I may use a device such as shown in Fig. 5, in which the arms B and B are both straight but inclined to each other.

In some cases it might be found desirable to construct the device in two parts, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In this case the straight arms B for stacking cans which do not have to be reversed are carried by one bar A, while the curved arms B for the next set of cans which are reversed in stacking are carried by a separate bar A. In such event the two devices would be operated by two boys or operators working alternately, one stacking while the other was taking the cans from the chute.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A can stacking device comprising a wooden bar and a plurality of metal can engaging arms carried thereby, each of said arms having apart passing through the bar and an angular turned part lying against the face of the bar, and a staple engaging said antially semi circular and stapled to the bar and 1;) gular turned part for holding it in place, subl forming a curved can engaging arm, substanstantially as described. i tially as described.

-2. A can stacking device comprising a bar In testimony whereof, I affix my signature and a plurality of metallic rods carried therein presence of two Witnesses. by, each of said rods having a straight por- CLAYTON T. LA BAU. tion passing through the bar and providing a Witnesses: straight can engaging arm on one side, the AGNES COPENHAVER, remaining portion of therod being substan- H. H. MCCLELLAND. 

